Texaco

"Service Truck," wc/ink on paper

There is an auto dealership in downtown Des Moines that specializes in classic cars and other vehicles. They often leave some of their inventory in the parking lot next to the showroom. Sometimes these classics are still in their commercial garb, like this Texaco service pickup. I was attracted by the color scheme as well as the preservation. 

This watercolor went like most: graphite layin, careful attention to color and value and then in to accent certain passages.
 

Warm Refuge

"Inside the Dome," wc/ink

This another Saturday sketch. The weather here in Iowa continues to be mostly bitterly cold with lows in single digits to negative. But our intrepid group continues to sketch on Saturday afternoons. 

This is a small sketchbook work showing a small fraction of the interior of our Botanical Center, much of which is inside a geodesic dome. I sat in a chair on one of the walkways between beds of tropical plants, trees, and the like. 

During the cold months the Center is a welcome and warm refuge.  

Serene

"Serene," oil on panel, 14x11 (private collection)

In these dead of winter days it's useful to me to think about summer and warm sunny days. It doesn't make me warmer physically but certainly improves my mood and makes me smile. 

This painting was done outdoors in Virginia a while back. The big sycamore stood guard on the river bank as I tried to capture the light reflected onto the underside of the huge overhanging branches.   

Saturday

"The Art Center, Snow," wc/ink on paper, about 5x15

Despite bitter cold my sketch group again assembled last Saturday for a couple of hours. Most of us opted for a snug and warm indoor venue, but I decided to stay outside. I drove to the Des Moines Art Center and found a place to park near the main entrance. Snow was blowing in a sharp wind and the temperatures were around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of where I was parked I needed to get out, observe the subject and sketch quickly. When the cold seeped in I would jump back in my warm car for a while, then go back out and resume. In a way it was good practice--observe closely, remember as well as possible, draw (or paint) and then repeat. 

 

Breezing Up

"Breezing Up," acrylic on paper on board, 4x8

Although acrylic is perhaps my least favorite medium, I've done a few works using acrylic paint. A long while ago I knew an artist who painted images of sailboats and power yachts on nautical charts. A neat idea but in the end it was a limited one. Still, I gave it a try with a few things, including the small painting above. For these I fitted a snippet of nautical chart, glued it to a piece of hardboard, then painted a monochromatic sailing image. This one was probably the best of the bunch. 

Saturday

"Lamp, West End Salvage," wc/ink

The stalwarts of the Saturday sketch group gathered at a local architectural salvage concern and sketched indoors, owing to the weather. Snow was blowing and the temps were low, so we opted for a snug harbor. 

This lamp was shining just near where I sat so I sipped my latte and tried to imply the illumination behind the stained glass. As is always the case, this watercolor is considerably more dull than the original subject. 
 

Diego

"Velazquez Self Portrait (copy)," oil on board, 8x6, 2008

An important influence in my work as a painter has been the immortal Diego Velazquez (1599-1660), the Spanish artist who served as court painter to King Felipe III. His masterpieces are the core of the Museo del Prado, in Madrid. Many years ago while in the military I had several occasions to visit that museum and spent many hours studying not only Velazquez but Goya and other Spanish masters. 

This small painting is an exceptionally rapid sketch of an oil attributed to Velazquez as a self portrait done nearly twenty years ago. I was interested in capturing the expression and main shapes of the figure. It was also interesting to use a very limited palette--basically cad red, yellow ochre, flake white and ivory black. Although the limitation of colors is severe, it is possible to achieve a wide range of colors and values with only those four.